The creation of a new 54,668-square-foot fitness and recreation center in Barrington, Ill., has resulted in a 600 percent increase in membership and increased enrollment in adult fitness programs, including yoga, Pilates and dance.

The $12 million Barrington Park District Fitness and Recreation Center is the end product of a Master Plan that was initiated in 1999, addressing a need to upgrade the existing recreation amenities that were housed in the Barrington Park District's Field House. The Field House was a 23,800-square-foot building, and, for 80 years, served as the home for the park district's administrative spaces, storage, programming, fitness and the bathhouse for the adjacent aquatic facility. Barrington residents were actively involved in the planning process as a referendum was required to build the new center.

Amenities at the new facility include a two-court gymnasium; a running track; two large community/banquet rooms; health, dance aerobics and wellness spaces; administrative staff offices; a fitness center; locker rooms; a nursery and preschool wing; lobby; and mechanical support areas.

A goal in building the recreation center was to make it blend in with the natural setting of Langendorf Park and the Field House. Some of the external elements of the center include brick, stone, precast, aluminum window and curtain walls, a standing seam PVC roofing membrane and metal panel roof screen enclosures. Part of the design also incorporated glass so that more natural light could be used throughout the facility.

The interior design of the center dons earth tone colors, such as terracotta, slate blue and chocolate brown. Other interior finishes include slip-resistant wood flooring, waterproof and washable carpet that contains recyclable content, as well as linoleum flooring that is made of renewable raw materials with recycled content.

The design of the facility addressed storm water treatment. The parking lot storm water filters through a native planting bio-swale/retention area to purify the water prior to discharging into the wetland area nearby.

Community groups are taking advantage of the new space to rent out for various functions, including community theatre in the Barrington Room, which has a stage and a state-of-the-art audio/visual system. The Barrington Community School District also has used the center for teacher institute training and focus groups.